A record number of visitors crowns an extraordinary year at Frankfurt's Kleist Forum theater: 49,543 guests attended performances at the Kleist Forum and guest performances of the theater's own productions in Cottbus, Schwetzingen, Hamburg and Rome. In addition, around 11,000 people took part in workshops and cultural education programs.

The Oder-Spree district is introducing a baby welcome service for families with newborns from 2026. With this new service, the district wants to support families at an early stage and make it easier for them to start life with their child.

IHK Ostbrandenburg, owner of the collective brand "Eberswalder Würstchen", insists on Brandenburg regionality. The Eberswalde sausage factories at the traditional Britz site are to be closed. Against this backdrop, the IHK Ostbrandenburg supports all efforts by the Brandenburg state government to preserve the site.

Brandenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce: Declining demand for personnel masks ongoing shortage of skilled workers / Targeted strategies to secure skilled workers in Brandenburg form the basis for economic growth – The shortage of skilled workers is currently only in third place among the economic risks for the Brandenburg economy, according to the special evaluation of the autumn economic survey by the Brandenburg Chambers of Industry and Commerce.

The stage is set for "Das NEINhorn" and his friends. On January 17, the theater version of the cult children's book, performed by the ensemble of the Uckermärkische Bühnen Schwedt, can be seen at the Frankfurt Theaterhaus Kleist Forum. The day before, the play will be shown as a morning performance for school classes and daycare groups.

How can freedom of broadcasting be preserved when public service broadcasting is increasingly being criticized - up to and including court proceedings? The 22nd Frankfurt Media Law Days on Wednesday, January 14 and Thursday, January 15, 2026 at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) will address this key question.

For the 122nd time, cabaret artist Arnulf Rating and the Maulhelden team will present the weirdest show in town on January 14 at Frankfurt's Kleist Forum: from 7:30 p.m., "Der Blaue Mittwoch" offers an insight into what is raging on the stages of the Berlin and Brandenburg scene or flourishing in secret.

The NextStepNetzwerk is moving: In 2026, the monthly regulars' tables of the NextStepNetwork #darumFrankfurtOder will take place at BLOK O in Karl-Marx-Straße 182. The first exchange of the year will take place on Tuesday, January 13 at 5 p.m.

Journalist and author Michael Thumann will be presenting his book "Eisiges Schweigen flussabwärts: Eine Reise von Moskau nach Berlin" at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) on Monday, January 12, 2026. As part of the Jerzy Giedroyc Research Colloquium, the Moscow correspondent for the weekly newspaper Die Zeit will speak on the topic of "An iron curtain in the 21st century – causes and consequences of the new division of Europe".

Every year, Frankfurt musicians Søren Gundermann and Thomas Strauch put us in the mood for the upcoming festive season with their program "Es ist ein Gnu entsprungen" and show that there is still a lot to discover in Christmas songs that are more than 100 years old. The mix of classics, jazz and witty performances can be experienced on December 23 at 6 p.m. in the Kleist Forum.